“I see…” I muttered, trying to keep my voice steady. “I-I’m sorry to hear that.”
Elise shook her head quickly, rubbing her eyes again as if to shake off the heaviness of the moment. “No, it’s okay. Big sister doesn’t like it when people fuss over her. She says it’s just a small thing, but…” Her words trailed off, and she sighed deeply.
“Ah, Mashiro, good morning!” Lisa’s familiar, cheerful voice rang out as she appeared at the door, stepping up behind Elise. She waved at me with a bright smile, her energy as infectious as always. “I thought I’d never see you again after you left so suddenly yesterday. You really surprised me!”
I fidgeted awkwardly, gripping the skewers in my hands I just summoned. “G-good morning, Lisa,” I replied, my voice barely above a murmur.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself as I held up the skewers awkwardly. “I… I wanted to apologize,” I said, my words tumbling out in a rush. “For yesterday. I left so suddenly, and it wasn’t fair to you—or anyone else.”
Lisa blinked in surprise, then her expression melted into a warm, understanding smile. “Oh, Mashiro, you didn’t need to worry about that,” she said gently. “We all have our moments. But I appreciate you coming back to say that.”
Elise glanced up at me, her tired gaze flicking to the skewers in my hands. “Are those… for us?” she asked softly, her voice carrying a faint trace of wonder.
I nodded, feeling my face heat up. “Yeah. I thought… Maybe this could make up for how I acted. I collected them earlier this morning,” I said, holding the skewers out to Lisa. “I wanted to make sure they were fresh.”
Lisa’s eyes lit up as she accepted the skewers, inspecting them with an impressed look. “Wow, these look amazing! You went out of your way to do this for us?”
“Well… it’s the least I could do,” I said, looking down. “I just… I didn’t want to leave things like that.”
Lisa placed a hand on my shoulder, her warmth and sincerity making me look up. “Thank you, Mashiro,” she said, her voice soft but filled with gratitude. “This means a lot to me—and to Elise.”
Elise nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Thank you, Miss Mashiro. Big sister will really like these.”
"Um... Do you know where Scheon is? I need to apologize to him too," I asked hesitantly, clutching the skewers in my hands.
Lisa’s cheerful expression faltered slightly, and she exchanged a quick, subtle glance with Elise. “Scheon?” she repeated, her voice softening. “He left early this morning. Said he was helping the merchants with their wagon. Apparently, he’s pretty fond of taking care of the horse.”
“Oh… I see.” My shoulders slumped slightly, disappointment sinking in.
Lisa hesitated for a moment before continuing, her tone tinged with a hint of mischief. “You know, after you left yesterday, he wouldn’t stop asking me and Elise about you. Kept trying to figure out what you like, or if he did something wrong.”
I blinked in surprise, my cheeks flushing. “W-what? Why would he—?”
Elise gave a small, knowing smile, leaning lightly against the doorframe. “He seemed really worried,” she said softly. “It was kind of… sweet, actually.”
I felt my face grow hotter, and I fidgeted nervously. “I… didn’t mean to make him worry,” I mumbled, my voice barely above a whisper.
Lisa grinned, her usual playful energy returning. “Well, it seems like you left quite the impression on him. If you’re planning to apologize, I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear it.”
“Okay. I’ll go to him right now,” I said with a determined nod. Turning to leave, I gave them a small wave. “Please, take care, Lisa.”
Lisa smiled warmly, her usual cheerful demeanor shining through as she waved back. Elise followed suit, her hand lifting in a small, sleepy motion.
As I turned my back and began walking away, a fleeting glance over my shoulder caught something unexpected. For just a split second, Lisa’s smile faded, replaced by an expression of quiet fatigue—almost sadness. It was so brief that I almost doubted what I saw, but it left a faint weight in my chest.
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“Scheon!” I called out, waving as I approached the field. In the distance, I spotted a lone horse hitched to a cart, its polished coat gleaming under the sunlight. Standing beside it was a familiar figure—Scheon, the blonde, handsome man from yesterday—carefully grooming the horse. He turned his head sharply at the sound of my voice.
“Wh-what? My lady?!” Scheon stammered, nearly dropping the brush in his hand. His expression was a mix of surprise and panic, and his eyes darted around nervously, as if he were expecting someone to appear at any moment.
We were far from the bustling merchants in the village square. They seemed to be occupied with trading goods, likely speaking with the village chief, but I had no time to focus on that. My attention was entirely on Scheon and his strange behavior.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, walking closer to him as I circled the horse and examined the wagon.
“N-nothing!” Scheon stuttered, his flustered tone a stark contrast to his confident demeanor yesterday. He awkwardly fidgeted with the brush in his hands, avoiding my gaze. “A-anyway, a lady like yourself shouldn’t be here.”
I raised an eyebrow at his odd reaction. “Why are you so flustered today?” I asked gently, trying to keep the conversation light and avoid making things more awkward than they already were.
Deep down, I felt a pang of guilt. After the way I had abruptly left yesterday, I probably had no right to press him like this. But I couldn’t just leave things unresolved. I wanted to have a proper conversation with him this time—one without misunderstandings or awkward tension.
Scheon’s face turned an even deeper shade of red as he blinked, clearly taken aback by my sudden apology. His nervous energy seemed to spike, and before I could process it fully, I found myself bowing my head in an attempt to make up for the way I had acted the day before.
“I’m sorry, Scheon!” I blurted out, my voice tinged with embarrassment.
“Miss Mashiro, I apologize!” Scheon immediately responded, his voice flustered and full of earnestness.
I looked up in surprise, only to find that we were both bowing at the same time, our heads nearly touching. There was an awkward silence as we both froze, realizing just how ridiculous it all must have looked.
We stood there, caught in the odd, unexpected moment. Then, both of us chuckled softly, our tension gradually easing. I could see a faint smile tugging at Scheon’s lips, and I felt a small sense of relief—like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
“I didn’t mean to make things weird between us,” I said, a little more composed now. “I just… I didn’t want to leave without saying anything. And, I didn’t want you to think I was ungrateful for your kindness.”
Ah, why was I still feeling so stressed about this? I couldn’t stop my heart from racing, and a small part of me wanted to run as far away as possible. It was like an instinct, something deep inside me that warned me to keep my distance from him. The very first time we met, it was the same feeling, and now, even though we were talking calmly, I could still feel it tugging at me.
My heart fluttered uncomfortably, and I tried my best not to make it obvious.
“I’m sorry, My Lady. I was insensitive,” Scheon said, his voice sincere. “I tried to give you those gems without considering how you might feel.”
Even as he spoke, that instinct in the back of my mind whispered at me to run, to stay away from him. He was everything I feared—handsome, charismatic, and just like a character out of one of those otome games. A perfect hero, one who didn’t belong with someone like me.
Blonde hair, a face that could stop hearts, and that "shounen protagonist" energy... It was all too much. I was oil, and he was water—never meant to mix.
But despite the swirling anxiety inside, I pushed through it. I fought the urge to turn and walk away. I couldn’t let my instincts control me, not now.
I forced a smile, trying to make it genuine. “No,” I said, my voice quieter but still firm. “I appreciate it. Those gems... I love the rainbow gems.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, I felt a tiny sense of relief. Maybe it was just a small thing, but it felt like a step forward. Even though every part of me screamed to stay away, I was still here, talking to him. And somehow, that felt important.
“Really?” Scheon’s eyes widened slightly, his hand reaching into his breast pocket. Slowly, he pulled out a small pouch, hesitating for a moment as if unsure whether to show its contents. “I… almost threw them away,” he admitted, his voice soft, tinged with embarrassment.
I gave him a reassuring nod. “Really. I meant it.”
His expression softened at my words, and with a quick motion, I retrieved the remaining tuna and octopus skewers from my inventory. The glowing interface flickered briefly before the skewers materialized in my hands. I held them up to Scheon, their savory aroma wafting in the air between us.
“How about we exchange gifts?” I suggested, trying to keep my tone light and inviting.